Ready-to-drink cocktails is a constantly evolving category. ­These products were once a cheap alternative to going out, or something to drink on the way to an event or on the train. ­These occasions still exist, but brands are upping their game to produce more premium, booze-forward drinks that are available in many different retail channels. They’ve reached such a level of respect that bars are…

Unexpected heatwaves swept across Europe this summer causing wildfires in Greece, France, Portugal and Italy. According to data by Copernicus, June, July and August this year were the warmest on record globally, with an average temperature of 16.8°C, which is 0.7°C above the mean. Rising temperatures are nothing unusual to news channels, but the wet European August was a surprise. The same report…

It’s the latest in a flurry of awards for Chan and Double Chicken Please since the Lower East Side bar opened in 2021. In May, the bar was named best in North America and at the 2022 World’s 50 Best Bars, the bar placed sixth and received the award for Highest New Entry. “Now we’re under the spotlight, how do we keep pushing? How can…

With the continued popularity of the Amaretto Sour to keep it on back bars and in drinks cabinets, and buoyed by the current appetite for Italian drinks, things could certainly be worse for amaretto. The classic Italian liqueur has weathered the storms of the past few years, perhaps even benefiting to an extent, with home bartenders learning to shake Amaretto Sours of their own. Meanwhile,…

The popularity of the G&T has always been a driving force in the premium mixers category. However, with the gin market plateauing, there’s room for further innovation and a look at other spirits and their mixers. This has become especially apparent with the rise in popularity of pink grapefruit soda, a solution to making quick, consistent Palomas. Pink grapefruit boom With the introduction of pink…

Traces of rye whiskey in the US date back as far as the 18th century when Scottish and Irish immigrants settled in Pennsylvania. Their trusted barley grains didn’t cope in the new environment so rye became the popular alternative. One report from the Pennington Distilling Co in Nashville, Tennessee, says that in 1810 Kentucky produced 2.2 million gallons of bourbon while the state of Pennsylvania…

From as early as the 17th century, Great Britain had begun importing and blending rums from the Caribbean, giving birth to some of the industry’s oldest and most recognisable brands. Rum was also a key part of the Royal Navy’s ration by the mid-19th century and the docklands of the River Thames were thriving under investment from the British rum industry. Fast forward more than…